Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, one million Soviet Jewish refugees went to Israel and half a million went to the United States. Thirty years later, what can we say about this group’s political preferences? To what extent are their political attitudes shaped by their Soviet past and to what extent by local political culture? Are there issues unique to this set of voters? Ze’ev Khanin, a leading expert on the Russian Jewish community in Israel and the diaspora, addressed these questions.

Russians are told constantly that their country stands as a bulwark against the West’s moral corruption. In fact, if there is anything resembling official ideology promoted by the Kremlin, it would be the Russians’ professed ability to hold on to the traditions of their forefathers.

The Wilson Center, chartered by Congress as the living memorial to President Woodrow Wilson, is the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum. In tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue, the Center informs actionable ideas for Congress, the administration, and the broader policy community.